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The music blares through the speakers again, garnering more attention from the late-night crowd enjoying the festival. Person after person loiters with beers in their hands and smiles on their faces, momentarily stopping to catch the free show. Their heads bob, and their swaying bodies move with the tune echoing through the night air. Every hand shoots in the air for what seems like miles, waving around with pure joy. For one singular moment, we live in musical harmony.
Kieran’s raspy voice blasts through the microphone again and straight through my damn soul, lifting me to a higher plane. Music always calms the storm brewing in my mind and eases my pain. Music erases everything on my plate and sets me free. It sounds silly. But music has always been my escape from the life I’ve lived.
“Ahem, bitch,” a very unpleasant voice says, knocking me out of my reprieve.
Fuck my life. Is this how Tessa greets everyone, or is this just reserved for me? Probably just for me. Seeing as she looks down her nose at me for the millionth time.
I plaster on a fake smile and shove my tits out. Let’s see how much she likes my personalized Whispered Words shirt.
“How can I help you?” My sugary sweet voice gives me cavities. I’d slam her face into this table a few times if it were up to me. Maybe knock some sense into her stupid skull. They don’t want you. I am theirs.
She scans my shirt, narrowing her eyes. “We want some shirts,” she says, pointing to mine. “Something like that.”
I grin more, widening my arms to the shirts folded on the table in front of me. “Sorry, this is an exclusive shirt for their girlfriend.” I freeze, dropping my arms. I probably looked as shocked as her pinched face does.
Heat envelopes my neck, creeping onto my face. I wholeheartedly blame my damn jealousy for my decisions. That bitch is going to get me into trouble. But damn, the look on Tessa’s face is worth the fallout. Whatever. I’ll roll with it. Yeah, their girlfriend. All four of them belong to me. If they’re going to put their claim on me, then I’ll return the favor. Maybe I can stamp my name on their dicks.
“You’re joking, right?” She throws her head back and laughs in my face. “Like they’d ever choose a piece of Central trash like you. You’ve got to be kidding me.” She slaps Sara on the shoulder in laughter, and her friend joins in, screeching along and ruining the damn music.
I blow out a breath and cross my arms, deciding not to push it. “These are your only options. Not this. This is mine, and so are they.”
Welp. So much for dropping it. It looks like I’m officially about to throw my hat into the ring. Only I’ll win, not them. I’m always up for crushing my competition. I’m competitive like that.
“You’ve got to be joking,” Tessa snarls, pounding a fist on the table. “Not you,” she scoffs, looking me up and down.
Leaning forward, I get right in her face with a bright, knowing grin. She doesn’t know I hang around them every day. Or that they’re my stalkers, watching my every move. They join me at work—both places. Play at my bar and drink my drinks while laughing with me. I said Tessa was my competition before, but the reality is, she’s nothing. I’ve already crossed the finish line and won while she’s in last place, slowly jogging toward the yellow tape. She doesn’t know it yet.
“Does this face look like it’s joking?” I grin cockily, tilting my head. Sometimes antagonizing the girl who made high school hell is fun. “Back off, Tessa. Buy a shirt or don’t. But you’re holding up the line.” I gesture to the four people behind her, sending her scathing looks for taking so much damn time.
“Just two shirts, smalls,” Sara says in a hurry, placating her fuming friend.
I nod and hand them two black shirts with the Whispered Words printed across the chest.
“That’ll be fifty,” I say, putting them into a black bag and setting it on the table.
Sara grumbles about the price, digging through her purse. Tessa snatches the bag with a haughty attitude and growls at me, exposing her teeth. Down, girl. I’ll put you in the pound.
“Let them have their fun with your diseased ass. But they’ll come running back to us, and I can guarantee that,” Tessa hisses, stomping away with her friend in tow.
“Sure,” I mumble sarcastically, helping the other customers with their purchase and the next after that.
The show continues for another thirty minutes without incidents. When the line for merch lulls, I grab my phone, record their performance, and take several stills for their FlashGram. There’s nothing more intoxicating than a sweaty rock star holding their gear on stage, rocking out to the beautiful music they created.
“This last song goes out to a very special girl,” Kieran says, side-eyeing me from the side of the stage with a knowing grin. “We have a new song for you all! It’s called: The Roaring River.”
When the new tune comes through the speakers, I sputter, choking on my spit, and he growls my name into the microphone. Finally, after a solid minute of choking on my tongue, I catch my breath and record the song’s chorus. Every word makes my cheeks heat and butterflies blossom in my stomach. When I peer over at Tessa, her lips set into a straight line, and she frowns in my direction.
“I won,” I mouth to her and then flip her off for good measure.
Take that. You mean girl.
Asthemusicdies,the boys wave their goodbyes at the edge of the stage. Large, beaming grins adorn their faces when the crowd goes nuts, cheering them on with hoots and hollers. Watching from the sidelines, I smile as they jump up and down with their hands in the air. Their music hums through my veins long after the last note. My fingers tap along my bare leg as the beat pounds in my head, never forgotten. Their lyrics will hide in my mind for years to come, even if they fizzle out–highly doubtful at this point. In my mind, we’re already in California, celebrating the win of the Battle of the Bands. Whispered Words isn’t meant for the small stage. They’re meant for the entire world to hear.
“We want more! We want more! We want more!” the crowd chants, pumping their fists in the air.
Kieran’s gaze finds mine immediately. With a nod, he grins more and turns back to the crowd.
“One more!” His voice reverberates through the screaming crowd as they jump for joy.
